All IU campuses taking part in Operation Stormy Weather tornado drill March 19

Media Advisory

March 13, 2019

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University will join schools and local governments statewide in a tornado drill March 19 to remind students and employees of how to shelter from tornadoes and to test the university's warning system on all campuses.

When the annual Operation Stormy Weather drill occurs, students and employees will receive an IU-Notify emergency alert in conjunction with outdoor warning sirens. They are expected to immediately seek shelter as if it were the real thing, and to remain in their shelter until the expiration time on the warning.

"Indiana University conducts a tornado drill once each year," said Benjamin Hunter, associate vice president for public safety and institutional assurance and superintendent of public safety. "I urge our campus communities to use this time as a refresher to review where to go in their academic building, home, student center or wherever they might be when a tornado might strike. In Indiana, tornadoes can strike anytime and anywhere, so this review is important to students, employees and their family."

The safest places to be during tornadoes are in basements, interior rooms or hallways, or severe weather shelters, which are indicated by a tornado funnel cloud symbol. The Protect IU website also provides information about preparing for tornadoes and severe weather.

IU's drill is in conjunction with statewide drills as part of the National Weather Service's Severe Weather Preparedness Week for Indiana. More information about the March 19 drill is available on the Protect IU website.